I’m Out of Control (and It’s for the Best)

Photo by Ryan De Hamer on Unsplash

We all like to have control over our environments. It’s fair and reasonable to want to be in the driver’s seat of our lives. But I think I speak for everyone when I say that we all hold on a little too tightly to that steering wheel.

I will admit that I am often white knuckled. I tie it back to my natural gift for analytical, mathematical thinking. This Average Jo actually majored in math (gasp!), not only because of my aptitude for numbers, but also for the desire to be right. Living in the grey zone is just so murky. Black or white always felt much simpler.

That might have served me in my studies (98% average, but who’s bragging?) but I soon learned that the world deals in many shades. And as much as I try to put it through my mental processor and come up with the answer, sometimes there isn’t one. Or sometimes there is, but it’s none of your business or you’re just not going to get it.

Maybe you’re waiting for the job to be offered.

Or the guy to call.

Or the sun to shine.

Or your ex to be nice.

Or your mother to apologize.

If it’s any of those, or something else, I have news for you: You can’t control any of those things. And I’ve learned (painfully, at times) that trying to control something that is not within your control is not only frustrating, but futile.

So what’s a control freak to do? Focus on the things you can control. Your words. Your behaviour. Your time. Your love.

Then there’s the even more uncomfortable, but effective option–surrender. Let go and let things fall as they may (gasp!).

I know it’s not easy. I battle it every day. But like any good skill, it gets better with practice. So let’s put on our proverbial seatbelts (the thing we can control) and have a great ride!